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Essential workers during the pandemic say they operate to keep workplaces safe

Woman wearing a pink mask looking like she's smiling underneath and a grey shirt that says, "BYU Hawaii Seasiders" with a refrigerator behind her and a red wall.
Kiana Hekekia says she makes sure her workspace at the C-Store is sanitized and ready for customers.
Photo by Ho Yin Li

Essential workers in Laie said their work is meaningful but difficult to follow CDC guidelines and safety regulations.

Kody Finley, a sophomore from California studying business management, said being a resident advisor is different. “It’s not like it used be. There’s more care and more caution going into everything.”

Finley said the students in on-campus housing are the No. 1 priority. However, he said being a resident advisor has become difficult due to being on-call 24/7. He said there are now days he has time off, but when there weren’t many RA’s, he was the only one on-call to assist residents.

Finley said he is an RA at Hale 10, a quarantine building, and his duties are to care for those who come back to Oahu and need to quarantine for 14 days.

When people arrive at Hale 10, he said he had to establish a protocol for everyone, such as wearing a mask and face shields, scheduled how people would get their food and created a fire evacuation plan.

Edmund Saksak, a senior from Vanuatu studying political science, said his security guard job allowed him to show that security protects the campus and the Polynesian Cultural Center.

Saksak shared how being a security guard has its difficulties because people are not following the CDC guidelines, such as wearing their masks, and he has had to break up social gatherings. Saksak said people should respect the guidelines because it will keep the community safe.

According to Finley, “One of the biggest things I have to do for work is make sure … [residents] are fed and stay alive because they’re not allowed to go outside. Being an essential [worker] has its benefits because there is job security and having work to do that is meaningful.”

C-Store worker Kiana Hekekia, a senior from Colorado majoring in psychology, said the C-Store is sanitized every hour and regularly uses sanitizer while wearing a mask. “It is actually such a blessing to have a job during these times,” Hekekia said. Because of that, she said she takes extra precautions at her job.

Hekekia said the customers come to the store and say “Hello” with a smile. “I’ve gotten used to not seeing anyone besides my family. It’s nice to see people I knew from school.

Two men wearing white shirts and gloves hold up a shaka sign with a silver grill behind them with burgers on it.
Kaleb Christensen, right, is pictured with a coworker at Seven Brothers restaurant. He says they are always working to keep things sanitized and safe.
Photo by Kaleb Christensen

Kaleb Christensen is from Florida and the manager of the Seven Brothers restaurant in Laie. Christensen said he has been working for Seven Brothers for two and a half years. Christensen said, “Being an essential worker during COVID-19 is interesting” because he would see only a few people and himself during a shift. Christensen said he is blessed to have a job and to continue working.

Christensen shared he and his co-workers always wear masks and gloves. “Some newer things we’ve been doing is making sure everything is sanitized.” Christensen said the workers at Seven Brothers are always wiping down windows and tables, changing gloves and making sure everyone is following the mask-wearing policy.”